Dec 14th We travled to Paris Illinois from thence we crossed a part of the grand prairie to the distance of 15 miles the weather
was plesent & warm the roads smooth & dusty I saw the prairies on fire we spent the night at the Inn of Isaac Kellar 25 [miles]
~ Saturday
15 We crossed an 18 mile prairie & put up for the night at the house of John Camel on the east fork of the Ocaw river
standing on the idengical [identical] spot whare I camped with the Saints in the spring of 1834 after crossing the river
in two canoes 23 m
~ Sunday
16 Sunday I sent a paper to our friends in Scarborough. We travled through a 14 mile prarie & a 12 mile prairie with a snow
storm & we put up for the night at R. P. Ren 26
~ Monday
17 Travled 12 miles & put up for the night 12
~ Tuesday
18 We travled through several small villages prairies the largest was 7 miles we put up for the night at the house
of David Millers it was a cold day. Distance 26
~ Wednesday
19 What strange things happen at times we travled 2 miles to Rochester Sangamon County Illinois here we unexpect
edly found Mr Ebenezar Carver & family they left us at Utica N Y & took the canal & lake they had stoped
here in Rochester to spend the winter. We called in to visit them a few moments not expecting to tarry but
an hour as it were but after calling in we concluded to spend the night & during the evening I had an interview
with Elder Arnold Stephens I was informed that we could not cross the Illinois River in consequence of the
Ice. I also learned that the Saints in Zion far west were suffering the severest persecutions & privations
& we could not travel through that country & with all these combination of circumstances we concluded
to stop for a season whare we were as doors were open unto us in the regions of Rochester & that to among the Sain-
ts that had taken up there abode in the place for a season. I wrote a letter to Sister Eunice 2 miles
~ Thursday
20th I spent the day in preparing a dwelling to moove into for a season as we all concluded to stop for a while. I procured a
house 3 miles north of Rochester in a grove of woods on the borders of a prairie on the farm of widow Branch to spend the winter
in it was a double house & Brother Joseph Coone is living in one part of it
~ Friday
21 We spent the day in searching for dwellings for Brothers Brown & Luce & their families
~ Monday
31 This is the last day of Dec & of 1838. During the last 10 days I have been engaged in preparing our dwelling & procuring food
for my family it being the first of my house keeping. In looking over my Journal of 1838 I find the account as on the following page
~ Friday
Dec 14th We travled to Paris Illinois from thence we crossed a part of the grand prairie to the distance of 15 miles the weather
was plesent & warm the roads smooth & dusty I saw the prairies on fire we spent the night at the Inn of Isaac Kellar 25
~ Saturday
15 We crossed an 18 mile prairie & put up for the night at the house of John Camel on the east fork of the Ocaw river
standing on the identical spot whare I camped with the saints in the spring of 1834 after crossing the river
in two canoes 23 m
~ Sunday
16 Sunday I sent a paper to our friends in Scarborough. We travled through a 14 mile prarie & a 12 mile prairie with a snow
storm & we put up for the night at R. P. Ren 26
~ Monday
17 Travled 12 miles & put up for the night 12
~ Tuesday
18 We travled through several small prairies. the largest was 7 miles we put up for the night at the house
of David Millers it was a cold day. Distance 26
~ Wednesday
19 What strange things happen at times we travled 2 miles to Rochester Sangamon County Illinois here we unexpect
edly found Mr Ebenezar Carver & family they left us at Utica NY & took the canal & lake they had stoped
here in Rochester to spend the winter. We called in to visit them a few moments not expecting to tarry but
an hour as it were but after calling in we concluded to spend the night & during the evening I had an interview
with Elder Arnold Stephens I was informed that we could not cross the Illinois River in consequence of the
Ice. I also learned that the Saints in Zion far west were suffering the severest persecutions & privation
& we could not travel through that country & with all these combination of circumstances we concluded
to stop for a season whare we were as doors were open unto us in the regions of Rochester & that to among the Saints that had taken up there abode in the place for a season. [FIGURE] I wrote a letter to sister Eunice 2 miles
~ Thursday
20th I spent the day in preparing a dwelling to moove into for a season as we all concluded to stop for a while. I procured a
house 3 miles north of Rochester in a grove of woods on the borders of a prairie on the farm of widow Branch to spend the winter
in it was a double house & Brother Joseph Coone is living in one part of it
~ Friday
21 We spent the day in searching for dwellings for Brothers Brown & Luce & their families
~ Monday
31 This is the last day of Dec & of 1838. During the last 10 days I have been engaged in preparing our dwelling & procuring food
for my family it being the first of my house keeping. In looking over my Journal of 1838 I find the account as on the following page
"Journal (January 1, 1838 – December 31, 1839)," December 14, 1838 - December 31, 1838, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, accessed November 18, 2024, https://wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/p/xAr